Оld Маdam Guo’s еуеs fliсkеred with a pесuliar light as shе smiled and sаid, “Тhis must аlsо bе Si Lаng’s intention; оtherwise, he would never hаvе sought suсh attеntiоn. А уoung mаn whо hаs just еntеred оfficialdom dаrеs to mеddle in the affаirs of the Rivеr Governоr’s Оffiсе withоut knоwing his рlacе—thаt is not Si Lаng’s wау.” Thеn, turning gentlу tо Zhou Shaоjin, shе addеd, “Now you shоuld feel reаssurеd! Аs for уour uncle, I will sреаk to him mуsеlf.”
Zhоu Shаоjin nоdded аnd thаnked Оld Mаdam Guo.
А yоung mаid еnterеd, аnnоunсing that the eldеrly lady from the hоusehold of Мaster Рeng, thе Dirеctоr of the Bureau of Revenue, had sent someone to deliver Laba porridge to Old Madam Guo.
The Director of the Bureau of Revenue held a fifth-rank position—a high official in the provinces, but in the capital, he was not even qualified to attend the imperial mourning ceremonies. When had Old Madam Guo befriended an elderly lady of such rank?
Zhou Shaojin glanced at Madam Qiu.
Madam Qiu shook her head slightly, indicating she had no idea.
Unexpectedly, Old Madam Guo said to both of them, “It has been a busy day, and you must be tired. Go back and rest for a while. When Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master return, we will have a proper meal together.”
She actually intended to meet the person sent by the Peng family and was sending them away.
Though puzzled, Madam Qiu and Zhou Shaojin obediently curtsied and left the main hall.
Zhou Shaojin asked, “Second Sister-in-law, where has Eldest Sister-in-law gone?”
Madam Qiu sighed. “Eldest Sister-in-law said there were still matters to attend to at Xinglin Lane and that she would return after taking care of them. But when I saw her off, I heard her instruct the sedan bearers to go to Yitiao Lane.”
Yitiao Lane was the residence of the Yuan family of Tongxiang in the capital.
Madam Yuan’s stubbornness left Zhou Shaojin at a loss for words.
Madam Qiu, however, was worried for her and whispered, “Shao Jin, I don’t understand what she is thinking. Look, even Mother found out the background of Huang Li’s wife just by going out for a walk, and she was riding in a Cheng family sedan. If Mother wanted to know, she would have found out long ago. Mother explicitly told her not to go to the Yuan family, yet she insisted. Isn’t she deliberately displeasing Mother? She wasn’t like this before!”
But people change.
With shifts in status and position, they inevitably change.
Zhou Shaojin sighed and said, “I can only promise not to speak unless Mother asks. But if she does ask, I will have to tell the truth.”
Before her marriage, she had received guidance from Old Madam Guo, and the latter had not opposed her marriage to Cheng Chi. Now that Old Madam Guo was her mother-in-law, it was only natural for her to stand by her side.
Madam Qiu nodded repeatedly. “That’s exactly what I think!”
Yet inwardly, she couldn’t help but admire Zhou Shaojin even more.
Few people acted with such decisiveness.
It was remarkable that someone so young already had such firm convictions. She was far more capable than A Sheng had been at her age!
The two went to the side room at the back to drink tea.
Nanny Lu personally escorted the Peng family’s servant away.
Zhou Shaojin asked Nanny Lu, “How did Old Madam come to know the elderly lady of the Peng family?”Nanny Lu smiled and said, "The old lady of the Peng family is surnamed Yu. Her elder sister was Lady Fengsheng, who passed away over a decade ago. The old lady's husband's family is from the same hometown as the Earl of Pengcheng, and she has a very good relationship with Lady Pengcheng. When Lady Fengsheng was alive, she often visited the old lady, so she was also familiar with Lady Pengcheng. In recent years, both the old lady and Madam Peng have been widowed and living at home, so they haven't been in contact much. It was only a few days ago when sending New Year's gifts that the old lady specifically added the Peng family's name to the list, and the two families have resumed their interactions. Just two days ago, the old lady even made a special trip to visit Madam Peng."
Lady Fengsheng was the emperor's wet nurse.
Zhou Shaojin was deeply shaken.
A few days earlier, she and Cheng Sheng had gone to visit Cheng Jia. On their way back, she noticed that the curtains of a sedan chair resting in the sedan hall were soaked with snow. At the time, she wondered if the old lady had gone somewhere. When she asked the attendants on duty in the sedan hall, they all said they didn't know, as they had just taken over their shift, and they even asked if she wanted them to inquire with the previous shift.
She had intended to ask then, but a maid from the household came running over to say that Uncle Li from Jiangxi had sent many New Year's gifts—several cartloads of items. Qin Ziji had already checked them against the gift list, but the messenger said Uncle Li had instructed that he must see her, kowtow to her, and then return. It was snowing, the sky was darkening early, and the night was particularly cold. Afraid of delaying their return to the inn, she hurried into the inner courtyard. Unexpectedly, Uncle Li had not only sent whole sheep and pigs as New Year's gifts but also two full boxes of gold ingots. Zhou Shaojin couldn't refuse, so she had to ask Old Madam Guo for instructions. Old Madam Guo told her to keep the items, and only then did she dare accept them. After seeing off the Li family's maidservant, she went to Tingxiang Courtyard, where Old Madam Guo taught her how to "return the courtesy." In the back-and-forth, she forgot about the matter.
It seemed Old Madam Guo had gone out that day.
After returning, she hadn't mentioned a word about it.
Normally, if Old Madam Guo went somewhere or did something, she would tell her about it...
Zhou Shaojin vaguely felt that this matter wasn't as simple as it seemed.
But if asked to specify what she felt, she couldn't put it into words—it wasn't that she thought the Cheng family's status was so high, associating only with the main branches of prominent families, and that the Peng family was merely a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Revenue, so associating with them would lower the Cheng family's standing.
Clearly, there was something else she didn't know about.
Zhou Shaojin kept her confusion to herself.
In the afternoon, Cheng Wei returned early and told Old Madam Guo, "The emperor summoned several ministers of the Grand Secretariat to the palace. Elder Brother sent me a message—it might be about the matter in Jining Prefecture. He asked me to tell you that he will do everything in his power to mediate and ensure Si Lang doesn't get caught up in it."
Old Madam Guo nodded with relief and said, "Now he's acting like an elder brother, the head of the Cheng family, and the one in charge."
Cheng Wei chuckled and said, "Elder Brother told us not to wait for him. After leaving the emperor, the ministers of the Grand Secretariat might need to deliberate further... He doesn't know when he'll be back."
Old Madam Guo was pleased and said, "Then we won't wait for him. Have Jiashan and Rang'er arrived yet?"
She asked Nanny Lu.
"They've already arrived," Nanny Lu replied with a smile. "They're changing clothes in the guest rooms on the east side. They'll be here in at most a quarter of an hour."
Old Madam Guo gave a satisfied "hmm."
Madam Yuan had returned.She greeted everyone with a beaming smile, handing out several boxes of pastries she claimed to have bought from a bakery on her way back, making no mention of her visit to the Yuan family.
Zhou Shaojin and Madam Qiu exchanged a glance, both pretending not to have noticed.
Shortly after, Cheng Xu and Cheng Rang arrived to pay their respects to Old Madam Guo.
While Old Madam Guo inquired about their studies, Zhou Shaojin hid in the tea room, directing the maids to brew tea and arrange fruits.
Cheng Xu quickly scanned the women standing behind Old Madam Guo but did not spot Zhou Shaojin. He couldn’t tell whether he felt disappointed or relieved—his emotions were complex.
※
The next day, before dawn, Cheng Jing arrived.
Dressed in his crimson court robes and draped in a gray squirrel fur cloak, he entered the room and bowed to Old Madam Guo. Without even removing his cloak, he said, "Mother, I must leave for court soon, but I came to inform you before I go—yesterday, the Grand Secretariat deliberated. Fourth Brother was found guilty of withholding information and unauthorized deployment of troops from the Jining Guard. He has been stripped of his position as Assistant Minister of Works. However, considering his effective handling of the situation, which prevented civil unrest, he has been appointed as a Censorate Inspector, assisting the Right Censor-in-Chief in overseeing the Yellow River dredging project. This is a chance for him to redeem himself through merit. The Grand Secretariat will submit the proposal today, and Liu Yong, the Senior Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, has also agreed. You can rest assured! Fourth Brother has turned misfortune into fortune this time."
Old Madam Guo, her graying hair loosely tied in a bun and wearing a plain autumn-fragrance-colored padded robe, nodded with a smile. "Only when brothers unite can they overcome difficulties. Once you’re less busy these next few days, bring your wife and children here for a meal. I have something to discuss with you."
Cheng Jing respectfully agreed, bid farewell to Old Madam Guo, and headed to the palace.
By breakfast time, Zhou Shaojin had received the news.
She couldn’t help but break into a joyful smile.
Old Madam Guo smiled faintly.
Two days later, the court’s decision was finalized. Cheng Chi was demoted to a seventh-rank Censorate Inspector.
Cheng Jing brought Madam Yuan and Cheng Xu over for a meal.
Cheng Wei also came with Madam Qiu and Cheng Rang.
Zhou Shaojin drafted the menu and supervised the kitchen’s preparations. Meanwhile, the Earl of Pengcheng’s residence sent a messenger to Old Madam Guo with a message: "Our Old Madam says she plans to visit the palace in the next couple of days and asks if you have time to join her in paying a visit to the Empress."
Old Madam Guo immediately agreed.
Cheng Jing remarked with a smile, "Mother, you haven’t been in the capital for over a decade, yet the Empress still remembers you!"
Old Madam Guo glanced at Madam Yuan, whose face had turned pale, and replied leisurely, "Nothing in this world comes for free. I’m just a bit more cautious than others. Upon arriving in the capital, I visited the family of Lady Fengsheng’s younger sister and shared my grievances. Perhaps Lady Pengcheng took pity on my plight and mentioned me to the Empress during her visit. That’s why the Empress thought of me. There’s nothing to boast about."
Cheng Jing looked embarrassed and said, "In the end, it’s all my fault. I’ve burdened you, Mother, who should be enjoying your retirement, with worries over us children."
Hearing this, Madam Yuan’s face grew even paler, and she lowered her head.
The Min family clearly did not regard the Cheng family as allies.
She had made an excuse to visit the Min family and inquired about the marriages of their young ladies, but everyone remained tight-lipped, acting as if nothing had happened!
Fortunately, her mother-in-law didn’t know, or else the idea of forming a marriage alliance with the Min family would have become a joke.
At this thought, Madam Yuan tightened her grip on her handkerchief.Old Madam Guo, however, took her two sons into the warm chamber to speak privately.
Seeing that both Madam Qiu and Zhou Shaojin were left outside, Madam Yuan finally felt somewhat better.
Inside the warm chamber, Old Madam Guo straightforwardly informed the two brothers of her intention to divide the family property.
As for their mother’s private savings, Cheng Jing naturally would not compete for them. After hesitating for a while, he brought up the matter of the Seven Stars Hall: "...I know that due to the division of the clan, our family has suffered greatly. I think we should talk to Si Lang and suggest that we withdraw at most within two more years! After that, whether the Seven Stars Hall remains united or disperses will have nothing to do with us. It was originally established by our ancestors to serve the former dynasty’s imperial family. Now, the grass on the tombs of that dynasty’s imperial family is probably already waist-high. It’s better for us not to get involved in such matters. Our family has been fortunate that Si Lang has been able to control the Seven Stars Hall. If we end up like the second branch, with no one capable of commanding the Seven Stars Hall as effortlessly as moving one’s own arm, the hall will inevitably fall into chaos and disband. Rather than reaching such a state, it’s better to let go of it sooner rather than later. If the second branch wants it, let them have it."
※
Dear readers, here is today’s update.
PS: Tomorrow is Monday, and I have matters to attend to outside. There will only be one update, scheduled for around 10 p.m.
O(∩_∩)O~
※ (To be continued ~^~)
OpenNovel